For the final collaboration of the “Sitting In” miniseries, I’m excited to share a fantastic multi-instrumentalist, fluent in clawhammer banjo and slide blues guitar, named Cristina Vane . Born in Italy, and living many places overseas before arriving in America at 18 years old, Cristina accumulated a wealth of culture and a diverse range of songs before discovering her love for pre-war blues and the likes of the pioneers Skip James, Robert Johnson, Blind Willie Johnson and Rory Block who have a...
Jul 29, 2021•18 min
Today on the program will be my sixth guest for the “Sitting In” mini-series, Jody Carroll . Jody is a performer and songwriter who effortlessly creates bold interpretations of old Blues and American Folk music, and makes them his own improvisational musical journeys. He’s a finger-style and slide guitar master, and a soulful singer blending flavors of Blues, Folk, Mountain music, Jazz and Rock all together into a true power- packed gumbo. Raised on Willie Nelson and AM Country Radio in the late...
Jul 21, 2021•20 min
Good people! I'm so pleased to share my fourth guest to embark on this “Sitting In” mini-series, a local legend in my neck of the woods, Chattanooga’s own Lon Eldridge . Harboring a unique blend of traditional pre-war blues, ragtime, jazz and swing, Lon has spent the last two decades evoking the styles of those who laid the framework of these genres, from the likes of Mississippi John Hurt to Robert Johnson to Blind Blake and countless other musical masters. He’s an avid collector of 78rpm recor...
Jul 07, 2021•13 min
Hey Folks! I’m so pleased to share the 3rd act of this “Sitting In” miniseries with you, none other than the inimitable Willi Carlisle. A multi-faceted writer, performer, and instrumentalist, Willi has spent the last several years collecting folklore, playing or calling square dances, and working in the avant-garde. He’s a folksinger with a style forged in the fire of Ozark old-time, and has a masters degree in Poetry. He’s spent years in the woods with poets and old folk singers and he’s a quee...
Jun 30, 2021•12 min
Hey Folks! I’m thrilled to share the second part of the “Sitting In” mini-series, where I hand over the podcast reins to some of my folky friends, so that they can share a story that ties into music preservation and play a few songs in line with their story. My guest today is Sparrow, who along with her partner Keith, leads the Asheville, NC group The Resonant Rogues , who seamlessly weave the threads of old time, country, swing, folk and more into a beautiful tapestry that simultaneously showca...
Jun 23, 2021•19 min
Today, I’m delighted to share the first “Sitting In” mini-series episode with you, where I’ve handed the podcast reins over to a music preservationist and performer. First up, is a story of the African American spiritual turned protest song called “We Shall Not Be Moved”, written and spoken by Matthew Sabatella. Matthew’s mission is to “connect people with music that is woven into the fabric of the United States”. He’s a singer, writer, multi-instrumentalist and award-winning old-time banjo play...
Jun 16, 2021•27 min
Today I have the pleasure of sharing a conversation I had with multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Jay Cobb Anderson , co-founder of the group Fruition , who has been making big waves in the major festival circuit during the last decade with blends of traditional sounds, contemporary folk and bluegrass, and most recently the roots of rock and roll. We talked about Jay’s busking journey, how he reached the other members of Fruition, how they developed their sound, about Bob Dylan and the...
Jun 05, 2021•1 hr 16 min
Today, I’m delighted to share a talk I had with mandolin prodigy and Grammy nominated multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Sierra Hull . Accomplishing more in her first 28 years of life than most could over a few lifetimes, Sierra made her Grand Ole Opry debut at the age of 10, played Carnegie Hall at age 12, then landed a deal with Rounder Records at 13. Sierra was mentored by Alison Krauss and Chris Thile, she’s collaborated with all the big hitters in bluegrass from Ricky Skaggs, to B...
May 29, 2021•56 min
Today, I have the pleasure of sharing a conversation I had with Oliver Wood. Since 2004, Oliver has been the frontman of The Wood Brothers, blurring the boundaries between folk, gospel, country-soul, and blues, earning an international audience and a Grammy Award-nomination along the way. Alongside his brother Chris Wood, of Medeski Martin and Wood, as well as percussionist Jano Rix, The Wood Brothers have embodied the future of roots music, while at the same time turning it on its head. Release...
May 22, 2021•1 hr 10 min
When I first set out with this podcast there were a few people in particular that I wanted to talk to, and today's guest is at the top of that list . David Holt is a four-time Grammy winner, multi-instrumentalist, and for 14 years performed as a duo on banjo with the legendary Doc Watson. He’s spent his life learning, performing and telling stories of traditional American music as the host of numerous radio and television shows including: Riverwalk Jazz, Folkways, Great Scenic Railway Journeys, ...
May 13, 2021•54 min
Season 1, Episode 10 // She Warbles When She Flies (SEASON FINALE) Featured in this Episode: Traditional - “The Cuckoo” (:27) Willie Nelson - “Lucky Old Sun’” (13:30) Jerry Garcia - “Walkin’ Boss” (31:40) Blaze Foley - “Oval Room” (52:50) Jontavious Willis - “Pistol Slappin’ Blues” (1:12:38) Teaser: This traditional tune is based off of England’s oldest known documented song, dating back to the 13th century, centered around a bird who calls in spring. He’s one of America’s most well known musici...
Apr 24, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Today on the program, I’m delighted to share a conversation I had with the Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist and preservationist Dom Flemons. Branded The American Songster from his diverse catalogue of tunes, Dom’s not just a songwriter, he’s a multi-instrumentalist, producer, actor, music scholar, historian, and record collector who is proficient on banjo, guitar, harmonica, jug, percussion, quills, fife and rhythm bones. We talked about his early life, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, music p...
Feb 26, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Season 1, Episode 6 // I'll Die With That Hammer In My Hand Featured in this Episode: Traditional - “The Ballad of John Henry” (:25) The Mississippi Sheiks - “Sittin On Top of the World” (11:09) Pete Seeger - “If I Had a Hammer” (22:05) Hank Williams - “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (44:32) Tyler Childers - “Rocks, Salt and Nails” (1:05:35) Teaser: Was the greatest African American folklore hero based on a true story? The most popular old time and blues string band in the 30's that all started wi...
Dec 02, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Season 1, Episode 5 // I'm Just Going Over Home Featured in this Episode: Traditional - “Wayfaring Stranger” (:30) Burl Ives - “Streets of Laredo” (11:45) Sister Rosetta Tharpe - “Up Above My Head” (28:50) John Prine - “In Spite of Ourselves” (44:27) Charley Crockett- “That’s How I Got To Memphis” (1:06:40) Teaser: Did it come from a hymn? An old ballad? Was it born in Scotland, or America? Navigate these questions with me for one of the most enduring and well known traditional songs in Bluegras...
Nov 02, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Season 1, Episode 4 // Hang Your Head and Cry Featured in this Episode: Traditional - “Tom Dooley” (:27) Blind Blake - “Diddie Wa Diddie” (12:23) Woody Guthrie - “Ramblin Around” (23:46) Doc Watson - “Blue Railroad Train” (49:00) Justin Townes Earle - “Lone Pine Hill” (1:08:23) Teaser: A North Carolina murder ballad turned folk tale withstands the tests of time, the true story is still up for debate today. The most distinct blind guitar player to take sounds from ragtime piano and transfer it to...
Oct 05, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 4
I’m so pleased to have my first guest on the podcast, the incredibly gifted multi-instrumentalist, teacher, musicologist and songster Mr. Andy Cohen. You may remember Andy from a mention in Episode 2 of American Songcatcher, as he was the mentor of my mentor, Joan Crane. Once a lead boy soaking in the shadow of Reverend Gary Davis, Andy’s been playing music for 72 years. He’s a virtuoso finger-style guitarist and pianist who has been described as “a walking, talking folk-blues-roots music encycl...
Sep 18, 2020•46 min
Season 1, Episode 3 // They Call The Rising Sun Featured in this Episode: Traditional - "Rising Sun Blues" or "House of the Rising Sun" (1:37) Bessie Smith - "Tain't Nobody's Business" (16:46) The Carter Family - "Wildwood Flower" (40:30) Townes Van Zandt - "Pancho and Lefty" (1:04:17) Blind Boy Paxton - "Nobody Cares For Me" (01:22:42) Teaser: Was there ever a “house of the rising sun” in New Orleans or elsewhere, or was it a myth brought from the UK? Raised by her sisters in deep poverty, a Ch...
Sep 04, 2020•1 hr 39 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Season 1, Episode 1 // If She Heard My Guineas Clink Featured in this Episode: Traditional - "Peggy O" (:28) Jimmie Rodgers - "Waiting For a Train" (8:01) Elizabeth Cotten - "Shake Sugaree" (15:23) Dave Van Ronk - "Green, Green Rocky Road" (25:40) Gillian Welch - "Everything is Free" (35:26) Teaser: A traditional Scottish song survives over 300 years, traveling thousands of miles before filtering through the Appalachian Mountains and becoming a folk "pass along" tune. “The Singing Brakeman” come...
Jul 28, 2020•51 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Tracing the roots of American music from its cultured past to artists playing it forward, join folk musician Nicholas Edward Williams in the audio documentary-style podcast series, American Songcatcher. Each episode uncovers the lesser-known journey behind one traditional song, followed by four stories of musicians in American roots music, up to someone carrying tradition today. From European and British isles immigrants who brought their music to Appalachia, to songs of the South: Gospel, Ragti...
Jun 30, 2020•2 min
